Concrete-block machine.



PAT'ENTBD 11116.21, 1906.

D. J. AMES. CONCRETE BLOCK MACHINE.

APPLIUATIOH FILED FEB. 18. 190B.

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a /y w 62d w (W1 WM 4M No. 328,994. PATBNTED AUG. 21. 1906. D. J. AMES. couonn'rn 21.001: MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 16. 1906.

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INl uonlu PITII! co, WASHINOYON, n' c PATENTED AUG. 21, 1906.

D. J. AMES. coucamrs BLOCK MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 16, 1906.

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DAVID J. AMES, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 21, 1906.

Application filed February 1 8,1906- Berial No. 301.463-

To all i'i'flflilt may concern:

Be it known that 1, DAVID J. AMEs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and. useful Improvements in Concrete-Block Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention has for its object to provide an improved molding-machine especially adapted for use in forming concrete-blocks; and to the above end it consists of the novel devices and combinations of devices herein after described, and defined in the claims.

The improved machine is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like char acters indicate like parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 shows the improved machine looking at what may be assumed to be a front thereof, some parts being broken away and some parts being sectioned. Fig. 2 is a right side elevation of the improved machine. some parts being broken away. Fig. 3 is a detail in front elevation, showing the traveling supplen'iental section of the v0rtically-movable table of the machine. Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken centrally through the upper portion of the machine, some parts being broken away and Figs. 5 and 6 are detail views in horizontal section, taken through the mold approximately on the line 2: as of Fig. 4, some parts being broken away.

The framework of the machine is made u principally of the base portion 1, four para el upright corner-posts 2, and a top section 3.

The so-called corner-posts 2 are, as shown, preferably made of heavy angle-iron. EX- tending from front toward the rear of the machine and rigidly secured to the transverse opposite pairs of corner-posts 2 are metallic tie-plates 4.

The mold is made up of four vertically-disposed walllates in the rectangular arrangement, which constitutes a mold that is open both at its top and bottom. These four wallplates maybe designated as the front side plate 5, the rear sidotplatc 6, and the two end lates 7. All 0 these wall-plates are hinge at their upper ends and depend below the tie-platcs 4. The end plates 7 work in notches cut in the tie-plates 4 and are detachably pivoted to lugs on said plates 4 by means of removable hinge-rods 8. The front wall-plate 6 is detachably pivoted to the tie-plates 4 by a removable hinge-rod 9, passed therethrough and through said plates. The rear wall-plate 6 is detachablv and adjustably hinged to the said side plates 4 by means of a removable hinge-bolt 10, which is insertible through any one of the several perforations 11, formed in each tic-plate, as best shown in Fig. 2. The said rear wall-plate 6 is shorter than the front wall-plate 5 and end plates 7, and its pivot is located considerably below the pivots of the latter. Furthermore, said wall-plate 6 is provided at its upper end with an inclined plate-section 12 for a purpose which will presently appear.

Rigidly secured to the tie-plates 1 in vertical line with the end plates 7 of the mold are channeluides 13, and mounted to reciprocate in these guides is an approximately U- shaped plunger or presserhead 14. The presser-plate 15 is bolted or otherwise detachably secured to the under transverse portion of the U-shaped plunger 14 and by vertical movements of said plunger is ada ted to be moved into and out of the mold, as 'ifileil. after fully described. The upturned end prongs of the plunger 14 always maintain engagement wit 1 the channel-guides 13. Said plunger is supported by a pair of connectingrods 16, that are attached to eccentric-pins 17, carried by spur-gears 18, secured on a common shaft 19, mounted in suitable bearings on the top section 3 of the main frame. The gears 18 are in mesh with pinions 20, carried by a shaft 21, also mounted in suitable hearings on the frame-section 3. The shaft 21 also carries a spur-gear 22, that is in mesh with the driving pinion 23, carried by a driving-shaft 24, mounted in suitable bearings on the frame 2 of the machine and provided, as shown, at one end with an operating'crank 25. hen the machine is run by power, the shaft 24 should be provided with a pulley or other means for driving the same from the source of power. Of course the gears may be variously arranged for imparting the reciprocating up-anddown movements to t is plunger 14. The obvious arrangement of gears is such that increased power and reduced s ced is transmitted from the shaft 24 to the siaft 19.

A long horizontally-disposed table 26 is mounted below the open bottom of the mold and is guided for vertical movements, as shown, by rollers 27 thereon, that run against the corner-posts This table 26 is supported and is given its vertical movements )rcferably by two or more parallel crank-shafts 28, the journal portions of which are mount-- ed in suitable bearings .29 on the base portion 1 of the machine-frame The crank portions of said shaft directly engage the under surface of said table 26. Only two crankshafts 28 are shown, and one thereof is provided with an operating-lever 30 and the other with a depending arm 3]. A link 32 connects the arm 31 to the lever 30 in such manner that the crank portions of the two crank-shafts will be given parallel oscillatory movements, thereby raising or lowering the table 26 and holding the same always in a horizontal position. In Fig. 1 said table is shown as raised by full lines and as lowered by dotted lines. When it is lowered, it rests upon stop-bars 33", secured on the baseframe 1.

The table 26 is provided with a supplemental section 333, that is mounted to travel or slide longitudinally thereof. This traveling table-section 33 is provided with a pair of clamps, each of which is adapted to clamp an approximately rectangular yoke-like metal bond, (indicated by the character 2.) Vthen the machine is used to make blocks of the character disclosed and claimed in my pending application, Serial No. 285,795, filed November 3, 1905, entitled Concrete buildingblocks, one of the bonds 2 must be partly embedded in each of the blocks formed in the machine. By means of these clamps said metal bond may be sup orted partly within the mold in position to )e embedded within the block, and to permit this the rear wallplate 6 is provided with a slot 6*, as best shown in Fig. 1 The said clamps, as shown, comprise a fixed jaw 34, a movable jaw 35, and an eccentric-lever 36 for moving the latter jaw, so as to clamp the metal bond between the two jaws or to release the same at will.

In practice a plurality of detachable pallets 33, in the form of loose boards, are placed in succession upon the table-section 33, and in forming the block they are pressed tightly against the bottom of the mold so as to tightly close the same. These pallets are of course adapted to be carried away with the formed blocks, this being desirable because the blocks when removed from the mold have not et set or become hard.

The means for simultaneously im )arting lateral movement to the four wall-piates of the mold is preferably as follows: To each end plate 7 is rigidly secured a cam-plate 37, the ends of which are bent at an angle and embrace the edges of the side plates 5 and 6. The said side plates 5 and 6 are provided with cam-plates 38, the ends of which are bent at an angle and embrace and closely eugagc the cam-acting ends of the corresponding cam-plates 37. The end walldates 7 are further provided with laterally-oll'sct yokes 39. A pair of rockinp crank-shafts 40 extend from front toward the rear of the machine and are mounted in suitable bearings in the corner-posts 2. The intermediate crank portions of these shafts 4U engage between the corresponding end plates 7 and their yokes 39, so that the said end plates are given lateral movements toward and from each other by oscillatory movements of said. ('IEtIlk-SllfiftS. One of the crank-shafts 40 is provided with an operating-lever 41, and the other is provided with. an arm 42, which lever and arm are connected for parallel movements by a connecting-rod 43. T he crank portions of the two shafts 40 are also parallel to each other, and consequently the two end plates will be simultaneously moved toward each other and simultaneously moved away from each other under movements of the lever 41.

From what has been said it will be understood that by a movement of the lever 41, by which the two end plates 7 are drawn toward. each other, the two side plates 5 and 6 will also be drawn toward each other, and the mold will then be closed, as shown in Fig. 5, and, on the other hand, when the two end plates are moved away from each other and away from the formed block the two side plates 5 and 6 will also be moved away from each other and away from the formed block, as shown in Fig. 6. In Fig. 6 the formed block is shown by dotted lines and is indicated by the character 'y.

When a block with a smooth outer face is desired, the inner surface of the forward wall plate 5 should be smooth 3 but when a block with a rock-face, for instance, is desired, a proper irregular surface should be formed on the inner lower portion of the said plate 5. In brief, a block with any desired surface may be formed simply by providing the proper face-surface on the lower inner sur' ace of the said plate 5. ln practice a series of these plates 5, having surfaces ada ted to form the different block-faces, would )0 pro vided, and the one late may be readily sill;- stituted for the ot er whenever desired to change the character of the block-face.

The concrete which is to be placed Within the mold to form the block is preferably first placed within a measuring-hopper, from which it is dumped directly into the mold. This measurin -ho per, as best shown in Fig. 4, is made up 0 ie y of a trough-like body 44, which is pivoted at 45 to the upright portion of the machine-frame and is provided with an adinstahle outer end head 46, shown as adjustably secured thereto by means of a pin 47, passed through flanges of said head and ICC through any of a series of perforations 48, formed in the side flanges of said hopper 44. When the ho per 44 stands in its filling position, (shown Th full lines in Fig. 4,) its inner endis closed by means of a head-plate 49, that is supported from certain of the u right posts 2 by means of a pivot-rod 50. T e depending portion of the plate 49 Works loosely etween laterally-spaced pins 51 on the sides of the hopper 44. The head-plate 46 may be so adjusted with respect to the inner end plate 49 that the hopper will contain just the right amount of concrete to form the desired block within the mold. The said hopper is so arranged with respect to the mold and to the inclined upper end extension 12 of the wall-plate 5 that when it is tipped into its dumping position (indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 4) it will discharge the concrete directly into the open upper end or top of the mold. As shown by dotted lines in Fig. 4, the dumping movement of the hop er causes the end plate 4!) to open up the de ivery end of the said hopper and permit the free discharge of the contents thereof. As is evident, a movement of the hopper back into its normal or filling position causes the said plate 49 to again close the inner end of the hopper.

While the table 26 is in its lowered position, (shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1,) the metal bond 2, which is to be partly embedded in the block to be formed, is secured by one of the clamps 34 35, and a pallet 33 is placed in position on the table-section 33 in front of the bond ,2. The table-section 33 is then moved endwise, so as to position the bond 2 in vertical line with the slot 6 of the mold plate 6 and to position the pallet directly under the open lower end of the mold. The walls of the mold being then closed, as best shown in Figs. 1, 4, and 5, the table 26 should be raised, so as to tightly force the pallet against the open lower end of the mold, thereby closing said mold and allordin a platen upon which the concrete or bloc -for1ning material may be pressed within the mold under a downward movement of the plunger 14 and its presscr-plate 15 As best shown in Fig. 4, the plunger 14 when in its raised position stands far enough above the upper end of the wallplate 6 to pern'iit the concrete contained in the measuring-hopper 44 to be freely dumped into the open upper end of the mold. Vi hen the said p unger is moved downward to its lowermost position, its presser-plate 15 will press against the concrete within the mold and compress the block-forming material within the mold a )proximately to the height shown in Fig. 4. he reciprocating movements of the longer are of course predetermined by the throw of the crank connections between the gears 18 and connccting-rods 16. Hence by a careful measurement of the concrete or block-forming material inserted into the mold the required compression of the block will be accomplished under a predetermined movement of the )lunger.

After the lock has been compressed the mold-plates should be separated or opened up, as shown in Fig. 6. Then the table 26 should be dropped into its lowermost osition, (shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1,) t rereby lowering the block out of the mold. The traveling table-section 33 may then be moved endwise, so as to move the formed block out from under the mold and to one side of the machine, and then the clamp should be opened to release the metallic bond 2, which has been partly embedded in the block. Of course considerable time is required for the block thus formed to harden or set, and hence it is desirable to carry the same away by means of the pallet upon which it was formed. While the one formed block is being removed, as just described, another )allet may be placed in position on the other end 01 the traveling table-section 33 preparatory to the formation of the next block.

The machine above described is what may be designated as a "power-machine" as distinguished from a hand-machine ora machine in v'liicli the block-forming material is tam ed by hand. \Vhen the device is to be usecl as a hand-tamp machine, the presserplunger and its coo crating mechanism would not of course l fe required and the wall-forming plates would be shorter and their hinges would be located only slightly above the line of the upper portion oi the block within the mold. The other parts oi the machine might be left the same or practically the same, as above described.

lVhat I claim is**- 1. In a concrete-block machine. a mold having four wall-plates, at least some of which are hinged at their upper edges, and at least one of which is laterally adjustable to vary the dimensions of the block, of a movable platen allording a bottom to the mold, substantially as described.

2. In a concrete-block machine, the combination with a mold having upright wallplates and an open top and bottom, of a ver tically-movable table having a traveling supplemental section, mounted for horizontal movements and adapted to support a pallet that affords a temporary bottom to the mold.

3. In a concrete-block machine, the combination with. a mold havin vertical wallplates, at least some of which are hinged at their upper ends for lateral movements to release the formed block, of a lever having connections for moving said hinged sides, a table having a traveling supplmncntal section, mounted for horizontal movements and adapted to support a pallet l'or affording a temporary bottom to the mold, and leveractuated erank-shafts for imparting vertical movements to said table and parts supported thereby, substantially as deseribed.

4. In a volu-rete-l'iloek maehine, the combination with a mold having vertical wallplates, at least some of which are movable to release the formed bloek, said mold having an open top and bottom, and one of said wallplates having a slot, of a vertically-movable table provided with a vlamp adapted to hold a metal bond partly projected into the mold through the slot of said slotted wall-plate, substantially as described.

5. In a concrete-block machine, the combination with a mold having vertieal wallplates, at least some of Whieh are movable to release the formed bloek, one of said wallplates having a slot, of a table provided with a clamp adapted to hold a metal bond part] projected into said mold through the slot of said slotted wall-plate, substantially as described.

6. In a concrete-block machine, the combination with a mold having an open top, of a measuring-hopper adapted to receive and measure the material to form. the bloek, and mounted for movements to discharge the measured material into said mold, substantially as deseribed.

7. In a concrete-block machine, the eom bination with a mold having an open top, of a measuringdiopper pivotally mounted. for

dumping movement, and provided, at its discharging side, with a side plate hinged to a relatively lixed support, and adapted to open the side of the hopper in the act of dumping the load from the hopper into the mold, substantially as described.

8. In a eonerete-bloek machine, the combination with a mold having an open top, of a dumping ineasuririg-hopper provided with an ad ustable side for varyin its holding eapaeity substantially as deseri )ed.

9. In a eoncretebloek machine, the combination with an adjustable mold, of an adjustable measuring-hopper adapted to re ('UlVU and measure the block-forming mate rial, and mounted to move and dump the measured material into said. mold, substantially as described.

1(). In a concrete-block machine, the combination with an adjustable mold, of an adjustable measuring-hopper arranged to deliver into the mold any quantities corresponding to the amount of material required to form the desired bloek, substantially as deseri l )ed.

In testimony wl'iereof I allix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

DAVID J. AMES.

lVitnesses MALiE HOEL, F. D. MERCHANT. 

